After years of testing and tweaking, I put together the best guide for making a classic pumpkin pie recipe! From the perfect crumbly pie crust to a creamy and smooth pumpkin pie filling that is exquisitely spiced and sweetened (just like my popular crustless pumpkin pie recipe!). Plus so many pumpkin pie topping options.
I’ve tested many ingredient substitutions so that you can make a pumpkin pie that everyone can enjoy! This sweet, creamy, spiced pumpkin pie recipe yields an incredible custard pie that has been a part of Thanksgiving meals for many generations.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This easy pumpkin pie recipe will show you how to make the most PERFECT pumpkin pie, with a creamy and smooth filling.
- I also share tips on how to get a deliciously crisp pie crust, instead of a soggy pie crust. (But I also have a recipe for the perfect crustless pumpkin pie, if you’re looking for just the delicious filling and none of the crust!)
- I also test how to substitute common ingredients in a pumpkin pie recipe, and test if the results still taste amazing. I made a total of 10 different variations of pumpkin pie to get all the information you need to make the best one that’s right for you!
- Tips on how to elevate the flavor of your pumpkin pie.
- This is a step by step detailed recipe to help you achieve the most perfect results, every time, with all of my pro tips.
- Delicious recipe variations to make this dessert even more exciting!
- Even if you have never made a pumpkin pie before, this recipe will help you through every step of the way.
The pumpkin pie that we know and love today became especially popular with the general public when canned pumpkin and spices became more widely available, and these pies could easily be made by home cooks.
For the rest of the world, pumpkin pie is very unique as it is a sweet dessert. As someone who grew up in Australasia and South Asia – I had always enjoyed savory pumpkin recipes (like pumpkin curry and pumpkin soup).
Pumpkin pie was my first introduction to sweet pumpkin recipes, and I’ve embraced it since then with a bounty of sweet pumpkin desserts like pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin roll, pumpkin scones, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin cheesecake profiteroles, pumpkin rice krispie treats etc.
Here I share a detailed, complete guide on how to make pumpkin pie, with a step by step recipe, and tips for the creamiest homemade pumpkin pie!
Pro tips for making homemade pumpkin pie
- Use good quality butter! The pie crust gets all the flavor from the butter, so make sure to use good quality butter.
- Grate your butter and freeze it! The grated butter will be easier to cut into the flour to form a coarse, wet, sandy texture.
- Keep the pie crust cold at every stage. If the butter or dough is softening, return it to the fridge to chill again. A colder dough will help maintain that crumbly texture you want from the crust when it’s baked.
- Do NOT overmix or overhandle the dough! The more you knead, or handle the dough, the more gluten forms in the crust. This can result in a crust that shrinks.
- You can absolutely use a food processor to cut the butter into the flour. Be mindful to not add too much liquid when mixing the dough in the food processor.
- Par-bake your crust! Trust me on this. You can read more about it below.
- When making the filling, mix the cornstarch and spices with the sugar or sweetener of your choice first. If you add the cornstarch and spices last, there is a chance of the spice mix clumping in your custard filling – especially the cornstarch.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch. The cornstarch acts as a buffer to prevent the eggs from overbaking too quickly. Cornstarch plays the same role in pastry cream.
- If you do have a hand blender or regular blender, you can blend the filling to mix everything as well. This is easier, and the result is a more silky smooth filling. BUT the extra air incorporated into the liquid is more likely to create cracks too.
- Bake the pie (with the filling) at a lower temperature. This will result in a creamier, softer custard. Baking at a high temperature will result in a filling that is overbaked.
- Let the pie cool completely before covering it with plastic wrap (or anything else). This prevents condensation.
Tips to prevent a soggy crust
One of the things that I don’t like when making (or eating) pumpkin pie is the soggy crust. Baking the pumpkin pie filling in a raw crust, as many of the recipes you’ll find online suggest you do, results in a crust that doesn’t crisp and caramelize at the bottom. So the crust is floppy and raw. But let me share my favorite tips on how to prevent a soggy bottom like that.
- Par-bake your crust! This is the best way to prevent a soggy crust. Blind bake your pie crust to par-bake, so that the crust gets a head start to cook. This will help the crust become crisp, before you add the filling.
- Seal the pie crust. Brush the inside of your parbaked pie crust with an egg wash, and bake for about 5 minutes to seal it. This also helps to prevent the filling from making the pie crust soggy as it’s poured in and baked.
- Bake in a preheated oven, on a preheated baking tray or pizza stone. Preheat the oven for at least 30 – 45 minutes, with a baking tray in the bottom third of the oven. This is to preheat the baking tray. The heat in the baking tray will have direct contact with the pie plate, and help make the pie crust nice and crisp. The baking tray will also catch any butter that melts from the pie dough.
- If you’re pressed for time, or you have to follow a pumpkin pie recipe that calls for a raw pie crust to be filled with the filling and baked, then make sure to place the pie plate in the bottom third of the oven, on a preheated baking tray. This will at least help to significantly minimize the chances of a soggy crust.
The different components of this recipe
What is traditional pumpkin pie usually made of?
- Pie crust
- Pumpkin pie filling
- Pumpkin pie topping
Pie crust
A pie crust can be either flaky or crumbly. A crumbly pie crust is where the butter is rubbed into the flour to form smaller clumps, forming a sandy flour mixture that results in a crumbly, sand-like textured “shortcrust” pie crust.
Flaky pie crusts have larger clumps of butter in the flour, resulting in uneven thickness as the butter melts during baking. You can use either of these pie crusts for your pumpkin pie, but crumbly pie crusts are better suited for custard based pies.
Crumbly pie crusts,
- Are easier to cut through. The pumpkin pie filling will create smooth, clean cuts, and a crust that will cut easily is better suited for that reason.
- Contrasts perfectly with the creamy pumpkin custard filling in the pumpkin pie recipe.
- Make it easier to have a consistent thickness and structure. This is important for a custard filling, so that the filling bakes evenly and has a consistent texture too.
The varying thicknesses resulting from a flaky pie crust dough create a more uneven crust, with very flaky pockets. This is certainly NOT a bad thing! But, for custard pies to be more consistent, a crust that can be cut more easily is more preferable.
If you want a gluten free pumpkin pie, you could substitute with a gluten free crust, OR make my crustless pumpkin pie that is super popular with my readers!
Pumpkin pie filling
What is pumpkin pie filling made of?
Most pumpkin pie recipes on the internet are very similar. Pumpkin pie consists of a sweet custard, mixed with pumpkin purée and spices, and baked in a crust. This custard is made in many different ways, and the most famous pumpkin pie recipe in the US of course is Libby’s pumpkin pie recipe that’s printed on Libby’s pumpkin puree cans.
However, this pumpkin filling can be made in different ways, and you can easily add different ingredients and flavors. You can make this filling in a bowl with a whisk very easily, but it can also be made in a blender, which is even easier to mix. The goal is to have a silky smooth, perfectly spiced and sweet pumpkin filling. And here I show you how to achieve that!
I’ll also talk about how to adapt this pie filling recipe to make a dairy free pumpkin pie, and talk about vegan pumpkin pie too!
Pumpkin pie topping
Classic pumpkin pies are usually served with whipped cream. But you don’t need to be limited to just whipped cream. There are so many fun ways to serve pumpkin pie, and here I share them with you too.
Recipe ingredients
Pie crust
You can use store-bought crusts to make pumpkin pie, or you can make your own pie crust! I honestly prefer the flavor of homemade pie crust, because it’s more buttery and delicious. Plus you can add more flavor to it. Check out my guide for making perfect pie crust for more detailed step by step instructions.
- AP flour – All purpose flour is easily accessible, and is a good all-round type of flour to use. AP flour provides a good amount of structure / gluten for the crust, but you must take care to prevent too much gluten from forming as well.
- Chilled unsalted butter – Butter adds SO MUCH flavor, and also creates the lovely, buttery, crumbly texture in the crust.
- Chilled water (and chilled vodka – optional) – Water helps to bind the flour and butter to form the dough. Vodka also helps to bring the dough together, while additionally preventing too much gluten from forming. Using chilled liquid will prevent the butter from melting, keeping the dough cold. This prevents extra gluten from forming and also results in the crumbly texture we want for the pie crust.
- Sugar – Added for additional flavor. You can use white sugar. However for this recipe, I use brown sugar to complement the flavor of the pumpkin pie filling (you can read more about substituting different types of sugar for your baking needs in my guide to types of sugar).
- Salt – Added for additional flavor and flavor balance. Do not skip the salt!
Optional ingredients
These optional ingredients add extra flavor to your pumpkin pie crust! They are not required to make the pie crust, but will complement the flavor of the pumpkin pie.
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Nutmeg
- Or pumpkin pie spice
- Graham cracker crumbs (I do have a separate graham flour pie crust made with graham cracker flour for anyone interested!)
Pumpkin pie filling
- 100% pumpkin puree from a can – Libby’s pumpkin puree is arguably the most well known pumpkin puree. In Canada, you can use E. D. Smith pumpkin puree (which is what I use here). It’s really important to use pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling!
- Sweetener – Brown sugar, white sugar, honey, or maple syrup will work. For my pumpkin pie recipe, I like to use maple syrup to sweeten the filling. This is also how I sweetened my crustless pumpkin pie. However, you can easily sweeten the pie with sugar as well.
- Evaporated milk – Milk that has been boiled and reduced to decrease the water content. Kind of like concentrated milk. Evaporated milk adds a very creamy texture to your pumpkin pie. Condensed milk is sweetened evaporated milk.
- Eggs – Eggs are very important in a custard! Without eggs, the custard will not set. In this pumpkin pie recipe, the eggs in the custard set as it bakes, resulting in a smooth, creamy custard.
- Spices – These warming spices are Fall classics. You can make your own pumpkin pie spice using these spices, OR you can also buy pumpkin pie spice from the store. I do like to add some cardamom to mine, but that’s optional.
- Nutmeg
- Cloves
- Cardamom (optional)
- Cornstarch – I like to add a little cornstarch to my filling. This little bit of cornstarch helps to better stabilize the filling. The starch in the cornstarch molecules expands as they cook and absorb the liquid, creating a matrix. This matrix acts as a buffer to keep the pumpkin pie filling smooth and silky, by preventing the eggs from curdling too fast. Plus, it keeps the filling from weeping and making the crust soggy.
- Vanilla and salt – Both ingredients are added for extra flavor!
Pumpkin pie topping / serving suggestions
- Whipping cream
- Maple syrup (to sweeten)
- Vanilla
- Leftover cinnamon pie crust bites
Step by step instructions for the best pumpkin pie recipe
Making the best pie crust for pumpkin pie
Before you even start to make the pie dough, make sure that your butter and liquid are nice and chilled. This will ensure that the dough is cold throughout.
A cold dough will prevent the butter from melting into the dough, which in turn will prevent too much gluten from forming (by preventing overmixing). And that in turn prevents a hard, rubbery crust, and also prevents the crust from shrinking.
- First step is to mix the flour with the other dry ingredients in a large bowl. You can easily make enough for 1 crust, but I like to make a double crust so I can use the extra crust for decorations.
- Second step is to add the butter, and cut it into the flour to form a coarse flour and butter mixture. The butter lumps should not be larger than the size of a pea, and the final mix should resemble coarse, wet sand.
- Third step – Then add the chilled water (and vodka, if using), until you JUST form a dough. The perfect pie crust dough is where you feel like maybe you could add just a little bit more water! This is because the flour will absorb and redistribute the water from the dough and butter as it rests. So add a little less liquid than you think you need, and just enough to form a dough. Having dry spots on the dough is a sign that you’re good! When you squeeze the dough, it should come together, with some dry spots still visible.
- Fourth step is to bring the dough together to form a disc of pie dough. I use a parchment paper to help with forming the dough disc.
- Finally, wrap the dough and let it rest in the fridge.
Once the dough is chilled, roll out the dough until it’s about 3/8 of an inch thick. Line a 9 inch pie plate (1.5 inch deep) with this dough. Make sure to gently lift and shape the dough into the edges of the pan, without stretching it to fit it inside. This will prevent the pie crust from shrinking as it cooks.
Trim the excess dough, while leaving a 1 – 1.5 inch border around the edge of the pie plate. Roll this excess dough underneath to form a crust that is flush against the edge of the pie plate. This crust can then be fluted or crimped to form the pie crust edge. Chill the pie plate for at least 30 minutes, until it’s nice and chilled.
Preheat your oven to 350 F, for at least 30 minutes, with a baking tray placed in the bottom third of the oven.
Blind baking the pie crust
When the oven is preheated, line the crust with aluminum foil. Make sure the foil is flush against the dough and hanging over the edge of the crust, to act as a crust shield. You may need two pieces of foil to cover the entire pie crust.
Fill this with white sugar, at least 3/4 of the way up. I like to make sure that the sugar comes all the way up to the top of the pie plate. Press down on the sugar to make sure it’s completely weighing down on the dough. You can also use rice instead of sugar.
I used to use ceramic pie weights for this purpose, but since learning about the sugar hack from Stella Parks, I haven’t used anything other than sugar.
Place the pie plate in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes with the pie weights.
Next, remove the pie weights and prick the crust with a fork. Then return the pie crust back into the oven for about 5 – 10 minutes to dry out the crust (which will be looking a little wet at this stage). Cover the edge with a pie crust shield or foil to prevent it from browning.
OPTIONAL – Brush the inside of the pie crust with an egg white wash and bake for about 3 minutes or so, until the egg brush looks dry.
Your par-baked pumpkin pie crust (partially baked pie crust) is now ready to be used.
Making the spiced pumpkin pie filling
Mixing pumpkin pie filling with a hand whisk
Place the spices with cornstarch in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add about half of the brown sugar or maple syrup and whisk until the cornstarch has no lumps. Mix in the rest of the sugar / maple syrup.
Add the eggs and vanilla, and whisk to mix well. Next, stir in the pumpkin, followed by the evaporated milk.
Mixing pumpkin pie filling with a blender
Place all the ingredients in a jug or blender. Pulse a few times to get the ingredients mixed with each other, and not stuck on the wall. Then, blend for a few minutes until the filling is nice and smooth. If needed, use a spatula to scrape down the sides.
Allow the filling to rest for a few minutes to remove any excess air. You can also bang the jug on your kitchen counter to remove any large air bubbles.
Baking the perfect pumpkin pie
The pumpkin pie is then baked in the preheated oven for about 50 – 60 minutes, at an oven temperature of 350 F / 180 C. This lower temperature ensures that the filling cooks slowly, while maintaining a silky smooth texture. No overbaked, dry pumpkin filling! Plus, this minimizes cracks in the pie filling.
If you have a temperature probe, check for the internal temperature of the pie. The internal temperature should reach 175 F / 80 C when the pie is done, and when you shake the pie, the center of the pie should be ever so jiggly too. The custard will continue to cook outside of the oven, and reach 180 F / 82 C.
Use a pie shield (silicone or foil) to prevent the crust from browning too much. However, during the last 5 minutes of baking, brush the crust with an egg wash. This will make your pie crust look absolutely beautiful!
Let the pie rest at room temperature for about 1 – 2 hours, and then transfer the pie into the fridge. Do not cover the pie if it’s still warm, as the water condensation will drip back onto the pie. Once the pie is completely cool, then cover with plastic wrap.
Serve chilled.
Why does my pumpkin pie crack on the surface?
I found that the vegan pumpkin pie that I made did crack, along with the dairy free pumpkin pie that I made with coconut cream (see images below). Both of these pies had a very thick filling that puffed up as they baked. And unfortunately cracks formed as they cooled down.
With the classic pumpkin pie recipe version, I am always able to consistently bake pies with no cracks.
HOWEVER, when I use a blender to mix the pie filling, the excess air incorporated will cause the filling to expand more, and crack as it cools down. This is not necessarily an issue though. Whipped cream can always cover up any cracks. Plus, if it tastes great- that’s all that really matters!
How to decorate and serve the pie
Pumpkin pie only needs a little whipped cream on the side! But there are so many ways to decorate your pumpkin pie, and different ideas for toppings too. Pumpkin pie should be served chilled, or slightly cooler than room temperature.
To cut neat slices, make sure to,
- Use a sharp knife with a straight blade.
- Make sure that the blade is clean each time you slice into the pie (any residual pie filling or crumbs will not result in clean, smooth cuts).
- A warm knife blade will also cut through the pie filling easily. This can be done by dipping the blade in hot water and wiping it dry.
- Make sure to cut through the pie crust as well. Otherwise the pie slice will pull out excess pie crust or filling, or leave behind pie crust and filling.
Pumpkin pie decoration before baking,
- Decorate with a pie crust lattice
- Pie dough cut-outs (pumpkin shapes, hearts, circles, leaves etc.)
- Crumble topping
Pumpkin pie decoration after baking,
- Whipped cream (cream chantilly) piled on top
- Flavored whipped cream. For example – coffee flavored, or spiced whipped cream (pumpkin spice or cinnamon).
- Coconut whipped cream (for dairy free or vegan pumpkin pies)
- Sugar crusted pie crust pieces (you can use puff pastry pieces as well)
- Candied nuts
- Maple pecan topping (that I shared in this pumpkin pancakes recipe)
- Torched meringue
- Marshmallows
- Whipped cream cheese or mascarpone
Storage instructions
How long does pumpkin pie last in the fridge?
Once the pumpkin pie is at room temperature, you can wrap it well with plastic wrap or foil and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
For leftovers, these can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. However, it depends on how well the pumpkin pie was handled prior to that. Check for any changes in smell, color, and texture before eating.
Pumpkin pie tastes better fresh. The crust and filling may start to get stale, especially with leftover pumpkin pie. A homemade pumpkin pie recipe does not include preservatives, so it doesn’t have a long shelf-life.
How long does pumpkin pie last in the freezer?
You can absolutely freeze pumpkin pie for up to 2 months if it’s prepared properly. Wrap the cooled pumpkin pie with plastic wrap very well, followed by a layer of foil. Again – make sure it’s wrapped very well!
This pumpkin pie can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the fridge over 48 hours, before serving.
To save time, you can absolutely make your classic pumpkin pie ahead of time and freeze it for later (makes for a great make-ahead dessert so you have less to worry about on Thanksgiving day).
Ingredients substitutions and frequently asked questions
The pumpkin pie recipe I’ve shared here is made with evaporated milk. I prefer this method because I can choose the sweetener I want to use, and how much of it to use as well.
Brown sugar or maple sugar are my favorite types of sugar to use in pumpkin pie, along with evaporated milk.
Absolutely! Instead of evaporated milk, you can use condensed milk, heavy cream, or coconut cream. All three are great substitutes for evaporated milk. However, the texture and taste might be a little different.
Condensed milk is evaporated milk boiled with sugar. You can easily substitute the evaporated milk and the sugar with condensed milk.
The results of making pumpkin pie with condensed milk are still absolutely delicious. However, you cannot choose the sweetener, so the flavor may be a little less nuanced than a classic pumpkin pie recipe that uses brown sugar.
Yes! Substitute the butter in the pie crust with a dairy free or vegan butter (that is solid in the fridge). The evaporated milk can be replaced with an equal amount of coconut cream.
The results of this are fantastic too! While the pumpkin pie has a nutty flavor, you can’t tell that it’s made with coconut milk.
I got your back! You can absolutely make a dairy free and eggless pumpkin pie!
I even tried some vegan pumpkin pie recipes to see if they are good. The result? They were amazing!
I followed this recipe for a vegan pumpkin pie. I used coconut cream instead of evaporated milk. Extra cornstarch, instead of eggs.
However, I did use my own homemade pie crust recipe, but used vegan butter. I also par-baked the crust.
I reduced the sugar from 200 g (total) to about 120 – 150 g brown sugar. The changes I made are in the recipe notes.
Yes, you can! However, please note that fresh pumpkin puree (i.e. homemade pumpkin puree) can contain more water than canned pumpkin puree. The flavor can also vary greatly, depending on the type of pumpkin / squash that you use, and the season / ripeness.
I recommend using butternut squash that has been steamed or roasted. The puree should also be cooked to reduce the amount of water.
The quality, taste, and texture of canned pumpkin puree are usually more consistent.
Since the filling is already gluten free, you only need to make a gluten free pie crust. However, gluten free crust is a little harder to handle than regular pie crust. If you have experience, then you can easily make a gluten free pie crust.
If you prefer, you can skip making the crust altogether, and make this easy crustless pumpkin pie recipe, that is gluten free and is a reader favorite!
I use maple syrup in my pumpkin pie recipe, but also love using brown sugar. However, you can substitute the sugar with honey as well.
I haven’t used a sugar substitute myself, but I have had readers who have used coconut sugar, and 1:1 replacement monk fruit sugar in my crustless pumpkin pie, and have had great results!
Pumpkin pies usually crack if the filling was pretty thick to start with (like with coconut milk or the vegan version). The pumpkin pie can also crack when baked at a higher temperature, as the pumpkin filling rises rapidly and then deflates as it cools down.
Making the filling in a blender or with a stick blender can also introduce air into the filling. This can also result in the pumpkin pie filling expanding too much, and then deflating and cracking as it cools down.
Usually the reason for pumpkin pie crusts shrinking is to too much gluten development in the crust. Please see my comprehensive pie crust recipe guide for more information.
Results from all the pumpkin pies I made
Classic pumpkin pie
There’s no difference in the texture when using brown sugar vs maple syrup. There is a difference in sweetness, with the maple syrup being slightly less sweet than with brown sugar. But they are both absolutely delicious and creamy!
Par baked vs no par baking
The par baked pie slice is sturdy and steady, and holds up well! The crust is not soggy at all, and there is more caramelization and crispness in the crust. Pumpkin pies baked in a raw crust end up with a soggy crust. This crust is floppy and can’t support the filling.
Hand mixing vs blending the filling
Hand mixing the filling resulted in a pie that had fewer cracks, because less air is added to the filling during the mixing process. But the blended pumpkin pie filling definitely created the silkiest, smoothest filling texture. However the filling is more prone to cracking as it bakes and cools down. But it’s nothing that a little whipped cream can’t cover up!
Using coconut milk
Substituting coconut milk instead of evaporated milk was great! The results were almost the same. The coconut cream filling was slightly thicker, so it resulted in a more dense filling. But you cannot really taste a strong coconut flavor. The filling just tastes a little more nutty.
Using condensed milk
This was surprisingly not overly sweet, which is what I was expecting. It was fine, but I did miss the molassey flavor from brown sugar, and the earthy flavor from maple syrup. It was a good pie, but not as flavorful as when you use brown sugar or maple sugar. An alternative would be to use a can of dulce de leche, made with condensed milk!
Vegan pumpkin pie
This came out so well! But surprisingly, it was the sweetest of all the pies I made. The volume of pie filling was less, but the sugar content was higher. I reduced the sugar from 210 g to 150, and it was still a little too sweet. I might make this again with about 120 – 125 g of sugar because the texture was dense and creamy!
Recipe variations
Pumpkin pie spice and spice variations
The spice mix added to the pumpkin pie is very important as it adds all the warm spices to flavor the pie. While I do like to make my own, you can absolutely use store-bought pumpkin pie spice. Changing up the spices in the pumpkin pie is a very easy way to change your pumpkin pie recipe, and add your own twist to it.
What is pumpkin pie spice?
Here are the individual spices that traditionally make up pumpkin pie spice,
- Cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Ground cloves
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground allspice
However, I like to make my own spice mix that is very similar to pumpkin pie spice, except I substitute the all spice with cardamom. This is a chai masala mix (chai spice mix) that really adds a lovely, spicy warming note to pumpkin pies! In my opinion, it goes just as well with pumpkin pie as classic pumpkin pie spice. Spice variations for pumpkin pie recipes include,
- Chai spices
- Using only cinnamon
- Apple pie spice
- Chinese 5 spice
- Nutmeg (eggnog twist)
Other flavor combinations and variations
Making mini pumpkin pies
Cut your pie crust into circles that will fit inside standard muffin pan cavities. Gently press them in to fit inside the cavities. Pour the pumpkin pie filling to fill each cavity / well, until it’s about 3/4 full.
Bake on top of a preheated baking tray on the bottom third of the oven until the filling is firm (with a slight jiggle in the middle). Or until the internal temperature is 180 F / 82 C.
Mini pies do not require parbaked crusts.
Other variations
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The Perfect Pumpkin Pie Recipe
Yield: Makes 1 pumpkin pie (9 – 9.5 inch, standard pie plate).
Cuisine: American, Canadian, North American
Prep: 3 hours
Inactive Chilling time: 4 hours
Cook: 2 hours 20 minutes
Total Time: 9 hours 20 minutes
Servings: servings
Ingredients:
Pumpkin pie crust (crumbly, spiced crust). Makes 1 pie crust for a 9 – 9.5 inch standard pie plate)
Pumpkin pie spice mix I use here
Pumpkin pie topping options
Sugar crusted pie bites or pie crust pieces
Prevent your screen from going dark
Instructions:
Pie crust
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Ideally, you should have all the ingredients chilled well. However, it’s crucial that at least the butter, water, and vodka (if using) are chilled well.
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If you want to make a flaky pie crust, follow this recipe to make the ultimate flaky pie crust.
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To prepare the butter, first freeze the butter and then grate it. Once the butter is grated, weigh the correct amount and put it back in the freezer.
150 g grated and frozen unsalted butter
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Mix the flour, sugar, spice, and salt in a large bowl.
200 g AP flour, 30 g brown sugar, ½ tsp sea salt, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
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Add the frozen grated butter, and toss to coat the butter with the flour.
150 g grated and frozen unsalted butter
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Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut or break the butter into smaller pieces, while tossing to make sure that the butter is still coated in flour.
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For a crumbly, mealy pie crust, the dough crumbs should resemble coarse wet sand, while still retaining some pea-sized butter pieces.
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Drizzle the iced vodka (if using) into the flour mixture and mix with a fork or your fingers.
30 mL iced vodka
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Next, start drizzling the ice water, 1 tbsp at a time. The lumps will become bigger as you mix in the liquid. Add more water until more of the dough forms larger, stickier clumps.
45 – 60 mL ice water
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Toss the clumps in the flour mix using your fingers to ensure that the water is mixing as evenly as possible. However, you will find that there will be large wet clumps of dough, and lots of dry spots in the flour mix as well. This is OK!
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To check if there’s enough water in the dough (if you’re a beginner) – take some of the dough in your hand and squeeze it to form a large clump. The clump should just hold together, along with some dry spots present.
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The pie dough should still have dry spots, and still form a dough when squeezed together. If the dough has too much water, it may shrink while baking and not hold its shape. You should not need more than 75 mL of total liquid for this dough.
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Place a piece of parchment paper on your work surface.
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Turn the pie dough out onto the parchment paper. If the butter softens at any stage, remember to refrigerate / freeze the dough for a few minutes as needed.
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Use the parchment paper to fold the dough over itself to form a rough dough mound. Add a few water drops if needed, so that the dough sticks together. There should be some dry flour spots.
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If there is too much water, and the dough is sticky, sprinkle more flour on the dough.
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As this dough is meant to be crumbly, it does not need to be cut and folded (as you do with flaky pie crusts).
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Once the dough is formed, shape it into a circular disc. Be careful and gentle when handling the dough. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap or parchment paper (tightly) and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour. I prefer to let it rest at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Rolling the dough
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Take the pie dough portion from the fridge. Unwrap the plastic wrap, and place it on a floured surface.
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Strike the dough disc a few times with a rolling pin, on both sides, to make it more pliable and easy to roll out.
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Roll out the dough, while maintaining the shape of a circle as best you can. Squeeze any cracked dough together to seal. Once the pie crust is pliable, turn the dough a quarter turn after each roll, to ensure that the dough maintains the shape of a circle and also does not stick to your work surface. Use a light dusting of flour as needed, and also remember to flip the dough so that you roll it on both sides.
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The pie crust will form cracks, so use your fingers to press the dough together to seal the cracks as you go.
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Roll the dough until it’s about 3 mm in thickness. The diameter may vary, but it should definitely fit a 9.5 inch diameter, deep pie dish.
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If the dough starts to shrink as you roll it, lightly flour the dough surface, fold it into quarters and then cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, and then proceed with rolling it out again.
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Once the dough has been rolled out, transfer the dough onto your pie dish. You can do this by rolling up the dough on a rolling pin and then carefully unrolling it over the pie dish, or by folding it gently into quarters, and placing it in the pie dish and unfolding it to fit inside the pie dish.
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DO NOT stretch the dough to fit it inside the pie dish. This is crucial and a common beginner’s mistake. Instead, carefully lift the pie crust and let it gently fall onto the pie dish. Use the back of your fingers to gently press the dough into the bottom of the pie dish, so that it fits neatly in the dish.
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There should be an overhang over the pie dish rim. Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut the excess pie crust, leaving at least a 1 inch (or up to 1.5 inches) overhang over the edge of the pie plate.
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Roll the dough overhang under the pie crust to form a thick border. This should be flush against the rim of the pie dish.
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Hold your thumb and index finger on one hand parallel to each other, and rest the tips of those fingers against the outside edge of the pie border. Then using the index finger or thumb on the other hand, gently push the inside edge of the pie border between the two fingers on your other hand, to create the crimped edge. Repeat this all along the pie border to form a fluted pie crust edge. Alternatively, you can use a fork to crimp the edge as well. (You can check my pie crust recipe for a video on how to do this).
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Cover the pie crust loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least 45 minutes. If the butter softens at any stage, refrigerate the crust.
Par-baking the pie crust
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While the pie crust is chilling in the fridge, preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C (conventional oven). Place the rack in the lower third of the oven, and place a pizza stone OR baking tray on the rack. Let the oven preheat for at least 30 – 45 minutes.
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Take a large piece of foil or parchment paper (large enough to fit inside the pie plate), or two pieces of foil, and gently crumple it. It doesn’t need to be crumpled tightly, and avoid tearing the foil.
Aluminum foil
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Then unfold the foil / paper carefully, and smooth it out. The foil / paper should now be flexible enough to fit inside the pie plate, on top of the chilled pie crust.
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Make sure the foil / paper is touching the whole surface of the pie crust, and loosely covers the border of the pie crust, so it acts as a pie crust shield as well. If needed, use the second piece of foil, to go perpendicular to the first piece of foil so that the whole crust is covered well.
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Fill the pie plate with sugar or rice (not both!). Make sure the weights come at least ¾ of the way up the pie plate. Press down on the sugar to make sure that it’s weighing down on the pie crust well.
White sugar
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Transfer the pie plate into the preheated oven, on top of the baking tray or pizza stone. Bake for about 40 – 45 minutes, rotating once halfway through baking time, if needed. Keeping a baking tray is a good idea to catch any melted butter from the pie crust. Otherwise it may cause the oven to smoke.
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After 40 – 45 minutes, the bottom of the crust should start to caramelize and turn golden brown in color. The sides and top of the crust will still be very blonde in color (i.e. only have a little bit of color).
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Remove the pie plate from the oven and then VERY CAREFULLY, remove the foil / paper from the pie plate along with the baking weights (making sure not to spill anything!). Immediately transfer the weights into an empty bowl or plate. Be careful with this step since the foil will be hot, and you need to hold it firmly to prevent any tearing and spilling of contents.
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Use a fork to prick the bottom of the pie crust, and place a pie crust shield along the edge of the pie crust. I use a silicone crust shield, but you can also make one with foil as well.
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Return the blind baked pie crust to the oven and bake for a further 5 – 10 minutes until the bottom of the crust looks matte or dry.
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While this is happening, separate the egg into egg yolk and egg white into two separate small bowls. Whisk the egg white until a little foamy.
1 large egg
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Remove the pie crust from the oven, and brush the inside of the pie crust (bottom and sides) with the egg white wash. Return the pie crust into the oven to bake for 5 minutes, until the egg wash looks dry.
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Remove the pie crust from the oven and let it cool.
Whisk and bowl
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Place the spices, salt, and cornstarch in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Make sure there are no lumps in the cornstarch.
2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground cloves, ¼ tsp ground cardamom, 10 g cornstarch, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix (recipe above), ¼ tsp sea salt
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Add half of the maple syrup (or brown sugar) and whisk again. Make sure that the cornstarch dissolves in the maple syrup with no lumps. If using brown sugar, make sure the cornstarch mixes well with the sugar, and there are no large lumps.
180 mL maple syrup
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Whisk in the remaining maple syrup or sugar.
180 mL maple syrup
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Add the eggs, yolk, and vanilla. Whisk until the eggs are mixed in very well and there are no traces of egg yolks.
2 large eggs, 1 egg yolk, 2 tsp vanilla extract
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Add the pumpkin and stir with a whisk to combine.
425 g 100% canned pumpkin puree
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Finally, add the evaporated milk and mix until there are no streaks of evaporated milk and the filling looks smooth and homogenous.
354 mL evaporated milk
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OPTIONAL – If you want your pumpkin pie to have a vibrant color, add a couple of drops of red and egg yellow gel food coloring and whisk to mix. This is optional, and only because the color of some pumpkin purees might become dull when using spices and brown sugar.
2 drops red gel food coloring, 2 drops egg yellow gel food coloring
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The filling is now ready.
Blender method
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In a blender jug or tall jug (for stick blender), place the spices, salt, cornstarch, maple syrup, or brown sugar. Followed by the vanilla, pumpkin puree, and evaporated milk. Blend the ingredients until smooth – in a blender or with a stick blender.
2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground cloves, ¼ tsp ground cardamom, 180 mL maple syrup, 10 g cornstarch, ¼ tsp sea salt, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix (recipe above), 2 tsp vanilla extract, 425 g 100% canned pumpkin puree, 354 mL evaporated milk
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Next, add the eggs and yolk, and blend again for a few seconds until the eggs are mixed in. Be careful not to blend for too long, as this will introduce more air into the filling.
2 large eggs, 1 egg yolk
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OPTIONAL – If you want your pumpkin pie to have a vibrant color, add a couple of drops of red and egg yellow gel food coloring and whisk to mix. This is optional, and only because the color of some pumpkin puree might become dull when mixed with spices and brown sugar.
2 drops red gel food coloring, 2 drops egg yellow gel food coloring
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Let the filling rest at room temperature for a few minutes, or in the fridge for longer.
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The pumpkin pie filling is now ready.
Baking the pumpkin pie
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Once the pumpkin pie crust is par-baked, let it cool slightly. While the crust is warm or even at room temperature, pour the pumpkin pie filling into the crust.
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Use a toothpick or wooden skewer or a flat knife to swirl the filling. This is to remove any excess air in the filling. Make sure not to scrape the bottom and create a hole in the crust.
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You can also knock the pie dish against your kitchen counter a few times, firmly, to remove any excess air.
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Return the pie into the preheated oven. Place it in the preheated baking tray at the bottom third of the oven.
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Bake the pie for a further 45 – 50 minutes, until almost done. Cover the crust with a silicone pie shield or foil pie shield if it is browning too fast. Rotate once, halfway through baking time, if needed
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OPTIONAL – While the pie is baking, whisk the egg yolk with 2 tbsp of water or milk. Keep it covered until needed. When the pie is almost done baking, quickly open the oven door and remove the crust shield and brush the crust with the egg yolk wash. Bake for a further 5 – 10 minutes until the crust is shiny and caramelized, and the pumpkin pie filling has an internal temperature of 175°F / 80°C. The filling should be set all around, but the middle will jiggle ever so slightly.
1 large egg
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If you want to skip the final egg yolk wash on the crust, then bake the pumpkin pie for a total of 50 – 55 minutes, until the pie is done.
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Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool down. The pie will continue to cook for a few minutes outside of the oven too.
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Once the pumpkin pie is almost at room temperature, it can be transferred to the fridge (uncovered, or vented). When the pie is at room temperature, it can be covered with plastic wrap or foil. This is to avoid condensation that can pool on top of the pie filling as it sits in the fridge.
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Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Sugar coated pie crust bites (optional – for topping)
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Roll out an extra portion of pie dough into a rectangle (or circle – whichever is easiest). Place this on parchment paper.
An extra pie dough or puff pastry
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Brush one side with an egg wash and sprinkle raw sugar to coat.
Egg wash, Raw sugar
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Flip the dough over and repeat with the egg wash and sugar.
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Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the dough into any sized pieces you like. You can even cut shapes with a cookie dough cutter.
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Keep the dough on the parchment paper and place it in the fridge or freezer to chill.
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Preheat oven to 375°F / 191°C.
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Place the cut pieces of dough on a parchment paper-lined baking tray with some space in between the pieces.
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Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 – 25 minutes, or until the pie crusts are golden brown in color. The bake time will depend on the size of the cut pieces and their thickness.
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Once baked, remove from the oven and let them cool slightly. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool down completely. The underside of the pie crust pieces should be caramelized.
Serving suggestions
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Serve the pumpkin pie as is, or top with whipped cream or meringue. You can also serve the pumpkin pie with whipped cream on the side.
Whipped cream, Italian meringue, Flavored whipped cream
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If you used meringue, torch the meringue before serving.
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Pile up the pie crust bites in the middle OR serve them on the side.
Tips & Tricks
Pumpkin pie ingredient substitutions
Pie crust
If you’re not comfortable making your own pie crust, you can absolutely use a store-bought pie crust. This will make the recipe even easier.
Note about sugar
In my crustless pumpkin pie, I only add 100 g of sugar. Some of my readers love that it’s not too sweet, while some prefer it to be sweeter.
So in this recipe, I use 150 g of sugar. However, you can absolutely reduce the amount of sugar down to 100 g. I prefer about 120 g brown sugar or about 150 mL of maple syrup.
You can also use white sugar or honey.
I have not tried this pumpkin pie recipe with sugar substitutes. However, I have had readers use coconut sugar and monk sugar (1:1 sugar substitute) with success for the pumpkin pie filling.
For dairy free pumpkin pie recipe
Substitute the evaporated milk with an equal amount of coconut cream (1 ½ cups).
What to do if you don’t have evaporated milk?
Substitute the evaporated milk with,
- Heavy cream
- Condensed milk – to use condensed milk, eliminate both the evaporated milk AND the maple syrup / brown sugar.
- Coconut cream (for dairy free option).
To make this gluten free
Make a crustless pumpkin pie.
OR make a gluten free crust with gluten free flour.
To make this vegan
I followed this recipe for a vegan pumpkin pie. However, I made the following changes (per 1 pie) –
- I used my own pie crust recipe, and substituted the butter with vegan butter, and par-baked it as well.
- Instead of 210 g of sugar (white and brown sugar), I only add about 130 g of brown sugar. I’ve also added up to 150 g, and found it a little too sweet compared to the other pumpkin pie versions I made.
- I also added 40 g cornstarch which is 4 packed tbsp.
- The spice mix I used for the vegan pie is the same one that I use in this recipe here, but you can follow that other recipe for that too, or use store-bought pumpkin pie spice.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 442kcal (22%)Carbohydrates: 55g (18%)Protein: 8g (16%)Fat: 20g (31%)Saturated Fat: 12g (75%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 100mg (33%)Sodium: 296mg (13%)Potassium: 385mg (11%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 29g (32%)Vitamin A: 8919IU (178%)Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 197mg (20%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
